We will start with the 7-day test that you need to do. Look around your home or your office. Do you see some items misplaced or some trash that is not properly placed into trash bins? If so, then go on and put them into right place. Have this mode for the rest of the week and whenever, you see something that is not in the right place, fix this immediately. You will start noticing that at home, when you prepare yourself a sandwich, there is always something that needs to done. You see crumbs falling on the floor, some dishes that need to be washed, some dust on the floor, etc. Immediately, when you get the thought of something being wrong, you have to act upon it. Don’t postpone anything and especially, don’t start to make excuses why you shouldn’t react to the problem immediately. You will start noticing in few days how this will become a routine and you will see yourself starting to preparing your sandwiches without leaving a mess, keeping everything tidy. Also very likely, you will start seeing yourself thinking that I don’t want to look under the table, since there might be something you need to clean up immediately. You will likely come up excuses that tell you, not to do something now, but a bit later, when you have first finished eating your sandwich. Also, before going to bed and sleep, if you start thinking that I should have done this and that, do those things immediately. If you have left a cupboard open or the dinner on the table, go and clean up. If you start thinking what to wear tomorrow, go and pick up the clothes and make them ready. Some things you can't do today, then write those down in a post-it, but don't write down things you can do now. Don't postpone anything. If nothing else, after a week, you have a clean kitchen and well organized evening routinies that help you sleep better. So what do you got to lose?

When I was training martial arts with this attitude, my daily routines were very clear. Every morning, I routinely stretched the same way and checked my body condition. The breakfast was build to have everything I needed for the day, but not too heavy. I dressed up in warm clothes, in order for my muscles to never get cold. Whenever, I passed a mirror (at home) I punched or kicked and checked my technique. Everyday, I trained basic techniques with the same routines. The warm up was the same, which gave me the feeling of today’s condition and on what part of the body, I needed to concentrate on today. Each day, I could train a bit more or a bit quicker or with more power. My condition improved daily and my skills got better everyday. There were no setbacks, no bad days or anything. The full concentration was improving my body and skills as a martial artist.

Today, when my focus is on sales, I have build different routines. Still, the breakfast is about the same and gives me the start for the day. I read newspapers, while I eat, in order to get a big picture of what has happened in the world of news. I also read news and articles about culture, sports, weather and everything possible that daily newspapers write. These give me understanding and topics for discussions with clients during the day. In the morning, I also read something related to sales, management or marketing. I use about 5-10 minutes for this, just to get something new to think about or to get a recap on my previous learnings. When in a client meeting, I diligently write notes with my iPad and put some keywords. I basically write down everything the client says and then save these to the CRM. When I drive my car, I listen to podcasts or use my phone to call somebody. In the evening, when I am helping my daughter to sleep, I start reading e-books, blogs and other sources on sales, marketing and management. I have set myself a minimum target of educating myself everyday by at least 30 minutes. When this is a routine, it is very easy to do. I don't have to do it, but I want to do it. I feel lost, if I'm not developing everyday.